Abstract
After-hours access to general practice (GP) is critical to supporting accessibility and reducing emergency department demand. To understand who utilises after-hours GP services, this study examined the characteristics of presentations to an Eastern Melbourne after-hours clinic between 2005 and 2014. Descriptive analyses of patient and presentation characteristics, diagnoses, medications and pathology were conducted. Across the study period, 39.1% of presentations to the clinic (N≤64,800) were by patients under 18 years of age. Females were found to attend more often than males, and nearly 79% of patients attended only once. The most common diagnoses were respiratory system diseases (13.4%), gastrointestinal system diseases (12.6%) and eye and ear problems (11.6%). Antibacterial medications accounted for over half (53.0%) of all prescriptions, with 34% of antibiotics prescribed to patients under 18 years of age. Seasonal variation in GP demand was also observed. Presenting patients differed from the wider GP patient population, with more young patients, and a higher proportion of prescriptions for antibacterial medications compared to other predominantly non-after-hours practices. Further research is required to understand the health-seeking, decision-making of patients who utilise after-hours GPs over predominantly non-after-hours primary care services, to inform service promotion and delivery strategies.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 294-299 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Australian Journal of Primary Health |
| Volume | 23 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2017 |
Cite this
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Characteristics of patients presenting to an after-hours clinic : Results of a MAGNET analysis. / Turner, Lyle R.; Pearce, Christopher; Borg, Madeleine ; McLeod, Adam ; Shearer, Marianne; Mazza, Danielle.
In: Australian Journal of Primary Health, Vol. 23, No. 3, 2017, p. 294-299.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
TY - JOUR
T1 - Characteristics of patients presenting to an after-hours clinic
T2 - Results of a MAGNET analysis
AU - Turner, Lyle R.
AU - Pearce, Christopher
AU - Borg, Madeleine
AU - McLeod, Adam
AU - Shearer, Marianne
AU - Mazza, Danielle
PY - 2017
Y1 - 2017
N2 - After-hours access to general practice (GP) is critical to supporting accessibility and reducing emergency department demand. To understand who utilises after-hours GP services, this study examined the characteristics of presentations to an Eastern Melbourne after-hours clinic between 2005 and 2014. Descriptive analyses of patient and presentation characteristics, diagnoses, medications and pathology were conducted. Across the study period, 39.1% of presentations to the clinic (N≤64,800) were by patients under 18 years of age. Females were found to attend more often than males, and nearly 79% of patients attended only once. The most common diagnoses were respiratory system diseases (13.4%), gastrointestinal system diseases (12.6%) and eye and ear problems (11.6%). Antibacterial medications accounted for over half (53.0%) of all prescriptions, with 34% of antibiotics prescribed to patients under 18 years of age. Seasonal variation in GP demand was also observed. Presenting patients differed from the wider GP patient population, with more young patients, and a higher proportion of prescriptions for antibacterial medications compared to other predominantly non-after-hours practices. Further research is required to understand the health-seeking, decision-making of patients who utilise after-hours GPs over predominantly non-after-hours primary care services, to inform service promotion and delivery strategies.
AB - After-hours access to general practice (GP) is critical to supporting accessibility and reducing emergency department demand. To understand who utilises after-hours GP services, this study examined the characteristics of presentations to an Eastern Melbourne after-hours clinic between 2005 and 2014. Descriptive analyses of patient and presentation characteristics, diagnoses, medications and pathology were conducted. Across the study period, 39.1% of presentations to the clinic (N≤64,800) were by patients under 18 years of age. Females were found to attend more often than males, and nearly 79% of patients attended only once. The most common diagnoses were respiratory system diseases (13.4%), gastrointestinal system diseases (12.6%) and eye and ear problems (11.6%). Antibacterial medications accounted for over half (53.0%) of all prescriptions, with 34% of antibiotics prescribed to patients under 18 years of age. Seasonal variation in GP demand was also observed. Presenting patients differed from the wider GP patient population, with more young patients, and a higher proportion of prescriptions for antibacterial medications compared to other predominantly non-after-hours practices. Further research is required to understand the health-seeking, decision-making of patients who utilise after-hours GPs over predominantly non-after-hours primary care services, to inform service promotion and delivery strategies.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85021244686&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1071/PY16084
DO - 10.1071/PY16084
M3 - Article
VL - 23
SP - 294
EP - 299
JO - Australian Journal of Primary Health - Interchange
JF - Australian Journal of Primary Health - Interchange
SN - 1448-7527
IS - 3
ER -